Thin Threads
by unicorn-skydancer08
Summary: What if, after Bambi’s mother was killed, Bambi never stumbled across his father? What would happen then? Where would the orphaned fawn go, and how would he survive? And would he ever find love again?
1. Chapter 1

**THIN THREADS**

_I'm sure all of you are familiar with Bambi. I'll bet you've all seen the movie at least once or twice in your lives, and I'll bet you know all too well the tragic scene where Bambi's sweet mother is shot down. Though I've never really cried at that scene, it does give me goosebumps whenever I watch it. Well, imagine what might have happened to Bambi, if he never ran into his father. _

_What happens, then? What does Bambi do? Will he survive? Is he going to make it without his mother? I thought it over, and decided to make the idea into a full-fledged story. _

_So, here you are! And there shall be cookies for the nice reviewers! _

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Bambi © Disney and Felix Salten  
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**Story © unicorn-skydancer08**

_**All rights reserved.**_

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Chapter 1**

"Bambi! Bambi, come here!" Bambi, who was chewing resolutely on some bitter, snow-encrusted roots that he had dug up, looked up at the sound of his mother's voice. The little fawn forced himself to swallow what he already had in his mouth before going straight to his mother, who stood only a short distance away.

She was smiling, and appeared to be very happy about something.

When Bambi approached her and looked up curiously at her, she told him, "Look!" He looked to where she was gesturing, and discovered a small patch, where the snow had been cleared away, revealing several shoots of tender green grass that had begun to grow. Bambi's heart gave a great leap, as his mother proudly confirmed, "New spring grass!"

Bambi did not hesitate to attack the grass, snatching it up in huge, eager mouthfuls. His mother joined him, only she ate much more slowly and daintily.

Bambi thought he had never tasted such good grass before in his life.

After many long days of hunger, of subsisting on distasteful roots and acrid tree bark, the fresh new grass was so luscious that it made Bambi want to wriggle all over with delight.

As they feasted contentedly on the grass, something made Bambi's mother stop and raise her head. She looked to her left, then she looked to her right. Her long ears stood straight up, and her beautiful brown eyes were wide and alert. She could sense danger in the meadow, could practically taste it in the air.

Presently, she urged her son, "Bambi, quick—the thicket!"

At first Bambi didn't understand what was going on, but as his mother goaded him into a run, a loud gunshot penetrated the still winter air.

Then Bambi knew: man was in the meadow!

That was all it took for the young fawn to bolt across the snowy field, at his utmost speed. His mother followed him, and the sounds of the gunshots followed them both.

Unfortunately for Bambi and his mother, the meadow was wide and open, and perfectly flat, with no trees or bushes to conceal them.

With everything around them covered in solid white, that only made them all the more vulnerable. All they could truly do was flee for their lives. "Faster!" Bambi's mother cried frantically, as the deadly gunshots persisted. "Faster, Bambi!" When Bambi started to look back, his mother commanded him, "Don't look back! Keep running! _Keep running!_"

And so Bambi ran, just as fast as his legs could ever carry him, his heart lodged in his mouth the whole time.

Right as they were reaching the other end of the meadow, where safety awaited them, there was yet another deafening bang…and Bambi's mother stumbled and collapsed into the snow, never to arise again. Bambi, not realizing this, only continued to race ahead, until he was deep within the sanctity of the trees.

He never stopped running until he made it all the way back to the thicket that had sheltered him and his mother throughout the winter.

He slowed, and skidded to a halt. There he stood, panting heavily, shaking all over from fatigue and fear, but immensely relieved to have gotten away.

"We made it!" he gasped between pants. "We made it, Mother!"

When there was no answer, he peered bewilderedly over his shoulder. "Mother?"

His mother was not there.

Bambi waited a moment, but she did not come. When Bambi dared to step out of the thicket again and gaze around the wood, his mother was nowhere to be seen. A few flakes of fresh snow had begun to fall by that time, catching onto Bambi's long eyelashes, lightly dusting his already speckled coat. Paying no heed to this, Bambi called out at the top of his voice, "_Mother!_"

There was still no answer. Bambi listened carefully, his ears cocked, but there was nothing. The woods were quiet…much too quiet.

The snow began falling thicker and faster as Bambi dared to venture out farther, and hollered, "Mother, where are you?"

The young fawn darted about from here to there, searching around every tree, probing every imaginable hiding place.

"Mother! _Mother!_" was his constant refrain.

But no matter how many times he yelled out, his mother never came to him, and he couldn't find her anywhere.

Bambi could feel fear building up in his heart. Where _was _she? His mother would never keep him waiting like this. What could have happened to her? Something must be terribly wrong, if she wasn't coming at his call. The snow soon became blinding, and the cold air only continued to get colder and colder by the minute. Shivering from both apprehension and the winter chill, Bambi went on with his frantic search. "_Mother!_" he wailed yet again. His despair was evident in his voice, and his big, bright brown eyes teemed with big, bright tears.

For what must have been hours, the hopeless fawn roamed the vast, desolate wood, crying for his mother until his voice was practically gone, until it was too dark and too snowy to really see anything anymore. By the time Bambi was forced to stop, when it at last dawned on him that his mother was truly gone, the poor little one sank down and lay right in the snow, no longer having the strength to stand on his own. Sick with hunger, sick at heart, he closed his eyes, and slowly slipped away into complete unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**THIN THREADS**

_Ah, finally! After a solid year (or, to be more precise, a year and three quarters of a month), I got this little sucker updated! I was beginning to fear I'd have to call it quits on this one. But I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. I'm sure you are, too. Thank you for your time and your patience, and I hope that this chapter, as short as it is, makes up for keeping you waiting. _

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Characters (except Terence) © Disney and Felix Salten  
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**Terence and Story © unicorn-skydancer08**

_**All rights reserved.**_

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Chapter 2  
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Something warm and soft blew across Bambi's cheek. The little fawn moaned and struggled through the layers of unconsciousness that enfolded him. "M…M-Mo…ther…?" Like a butterfly beating its wings, his eyelids flitted open. At first, he could see nothing but one great big swirl of shadows and dull colors. But then, little by little, everything came swimming into focus.

The young deer found himself lying in some kind of den, on what appeared to be a thick bed of moss. Moreover, he sensed someone was standing over him.

He expected to see his mother, but when he looked up, he saw a strange white beast instead, looking down at him with gentle concern.

The beast looked somewhat like a stag—only bigger, with a long, handsome neck, and with a different kind of nose. Instead of antlers, it had a singular horn that spiraled from the center of its brow, tapering to a needle-sharp point. In addition, it had a long, thick mane that fell well below its neck and spilled freely into its face. The creature was so incredibly white; it seemed to shine like the moon, and the horn glowed like the sun when it was just peeking over the treetops. The mysterious creature seemed pleased that Bambi was alert.

"Oh, good!" he said, in a voice that was youthful and lively, with an accent Bambi was not familiar with. "You're finally awake. Took you long enough, little one; I was beginning to worry."

Bambi gasped, and didn't hesitate to shrink back from the stranger.

"Oh, don't be afraid," the white beast hastily assured him. "I mean you no harm. It's all right, really."

"Who—who are you?" Bambi asked tremulously, keeping his distance. His whole body was shaking, and not just from cold.

"Please don't be scared." The white creature bent his head and laid his long horn lightly along Bambi's shoulder, in a gesture of peace. Bambi could feel a peculiar warmth flowing from that horn; it caused fear to ebb out of him, like water leaking through a rift. "I won't hurt you," the strange beast continued, his voice unusually tender, as if speaking to his own child.

"Who are you?" Bambi repeated. Then, unable to help himself, he added, "_What_ are you?"

"Of course, allow me to introduce myself." With a respectful tip of his horn, the creature said, "My name is Terence. I am a unicorn."

"A what?" Bambi's ears pricked up at the curious word.

"A unicorn," his friend repeated patiently.

"U…ni…corn?" Bambi struggled somewhat to form the word; it tasted very odd on his tongue.

"But you can just call me Terence. What is your name, little one?"

"Bambi."

"Bambi, eh?" The unicorn named Terence rolled his name around thoughtfully on his own tongue, as if to savor it. "That's a fine name. And you're as cute as a button."

Bambi wasn't sure what he meant by that, but he decided to take it as a compliment.

"So, Bambi," said Terence at length, "tell me, why is it that someone like you would be wandering in the middle of the woods, especially in this dreadful weather?" At this, his bright blue eyes darkened somewhat, and his voice undertook a very serious note. "It's a good thing I found you when I did, or you could have very well frozen to death."

Bambi hesitated, remembering what his mother used to always tell him about talking to strangers.

_His mother_…Bambi's breath caught at the memory of her, and he felt his heart skip a beat or two. The sounds of his mother's urgent cries, followed by the ominous boom of man's gun, resounded painfully in his ears. Bambi recoiled, feeling a sharp, terrible pain jolt his little body. Almost without realizing it, tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his surroundings.

He didn't know how, or why, but somehow he sensed that his mother was gone…and that she was never coming back.

Terence noticed the tears, along with the look of pure pain on the baby deer's face, and asked solicitously, "Are you all right? What is it, Bambi?"

"Mother," was all Bambi could bring himself to say, before he broke down crying.

The word "mother" found its way to Terence's heart, like an arrow striking its target. The unicorn asked no further questions, never spoke another word, only dropped his nose and began to nuzzle Bambi sympathetically. Bambi felt the unicorn gently lick him behind the ears, not unlike the way his mother used to, and this only made him cry harder.

At length, Terence quietly settled next to the fawn on the soft cushion of moss, tucking in his long, sturdy legs. His cloud-fine, dandelion-soft mane draped over Bambi, like a veil, as he laid his big head alongside him. By this time, Bambi had stopped crying—or, rather, he wasn't crying nearly so much anymore. But he shut his eyes tightly, and curled himself into a trembling, whimpering ball. Terence stayed with him the entire time, lending his warmth and company, until Bambi ultimately drifted into a deep, welcome sleep.


End file.
